Stephanie Hovnanian

School of Music
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5434 USA

Education:

M.M. DePaul University

B.M. Eastman School of Music

Bio:

Stephanie Hovnanian has been a member of the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra in Muskegon since 2006, and she performs regularly with the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo symphonies. Other Michigan orchestras she has performed with include the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Battle Creek Symphony, Southwest Michigan Symphony, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Traverse City Symphony, Saginaw Symphony Orchestra, Adrian Symphony and Plymouth Symphony. In her numerous orchestral engagements Hovnanian frequently performs on the bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet in addition to clarinet.

In 2006 Hovnanian completed a three-year fellowship with the New World Symphony under the direction of Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas, as well as guest conductors including Sir Neville Marriner, Peter Oundjian, David Robertson, and Hans Graf. During her time at New World the orchestra completed two tours, which included performances in Rome, Italy and in Carnegie Hall in New York. The orchestra was regularly reviewed by Lawrence Budmen of the Miami Herald, who made several positive remarks on Hovnanian, (maiden name Wernli). In a review for Sibelius's Symphony Number 4 he said "the glowing warmth of Stephanie Wendi's clarinet soared." After a performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue he remarked, "Stephanie Wernli was the agile clarinetist whose opening riff, (right out of Klezmer), was nothing short of astounding!" She has also participated in many summer music festivals, including the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, the Festival at Round Top, Aspen Music Festival, Banff Center for the Arts, the Monteux Music Festival, and the Heidelberg Festival. Hovnanian was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for three seasons. During her tenure with the orchestra she played under many of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conductors, including Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez and Christoph Eschenbach. Civic also completed a tour, which included performances in Carnegie Hall. Hovnanian had the pleasure of playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on a performance of Daphnes and Chloe.